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Spain Prosecuting Alberto Gonzales and Other Bush Officials for Torture

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by pgabriel, Mar 30, 2009.

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  1. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    By PAUL HAVEN Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle
    March 30, 2009, 8:36AM
    MADRID — Six former Bush administration officials accused in a Spanish complaint of sanctioning the torture of terror suspects should come to Spain to face justice, a human rights lawyer urged today.
    If they are innocent they shouldn't be afraid, lawyer Gonzalo Boye, one of the rights lawyers behind the complaint, told the Associated Press in an interview.

    The case against the American officials — including former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and former Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith — was brought by human rights lawyers before Spain's investigative judge Baltasar Garzon, who has sent it on to prosecutors to see if the charges merit a full investigation.

    It alleges the men gave legal cover to the torture of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by claiming that the U.S. president could ignore the Geneva Conventions and by adopting an overly narrow legal definition of torture.

    In addition to Gonzales and Feith, the complaint names former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff David Addington; Justice Department officials John Yoo and Jay S. Bybee; and Pentagon lawyer William Haynes.

    Spanish law gives its courts jurisdiction beyond national borders in cases of torture or war crimes, based on a doctrine known as universal justice, though the government has recently said it hopes to limit the scope of the legal process.

    The only one of the accused to comment publicly has been Feith, who said Saturday that the charges "make no sense."

    "I would recommend that Mr. Feith first of all read the complaint, and secondly that he get a very good lawyer," Boye said. "If he is so sure of what he is saying — then the address of the national court is 22 Genova Street, second floor."

    Prosecutors must now decide whether to recommend a full investigation. Still, Garzon is not bound by their decision.

    The judge has not commented since the complaint became public Saturday. On Monday, he hustled up the steps of the National Court without speaking to journalists.

    Deputy Spanish Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said the government would have no comment on the merits of the case, which she said was in the hands of an independent judiciary.

    "It is the courts, and only the courts, that must make a decision on this," she was quoted as saying in Monday's Publico newspaper.

    Still, the proceedings could not have come at a more delicate time for Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who has been hoping for better relations with the United States. The Bush administration never forgave Zapatero for pulling Spanish troops out of Iraq, and he was the only Western European leader never invited to the White House.

    Zapatero is scheduled to meet President Barack Obama for the first time on April 5 during a summit in Prague.

    ___
    Associated Press reporter Alicia Lopez in Madrid contributed to this report.
     
    #1 pgabriel, Mar 30, 2009
  2. Space Ghost

    Space Ghost Member

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    I bet you're all for this. Sooo why isn't Spain prosecuting OBL and all of the other dictators in the world?
     
    #2 Space Ghost, Mar 30, 2009
  3. weslinder

    weslinder Member

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    So Gonzales is going to end up in the Kissinger Club of former American cabinet members who can't travel to certain countries without being imprisoned? I don't know if I agree with it completely. I don't think Gonzales is evil, he's just a lawyer who was asked by his boss to defend something that most people think is indefensible.
     
    #3 weslinder, Mar 30, 2009
  4. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    #4 SamFisher, Mar 30, 2009
  5. Artesticle

    Artesticle Member

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    Not using torture is less government.
     
    #5 Artesticle, Mar 30, 2009
  6. Bogey

    Bogey Member

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    Sounds like a waste of time that will lead to nothing. Just grandstanding.
     
    #6 Bogey, Mar 30, 2009
  7. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    Grandstanding, indeed.

    But my favorite part is a lawyer saying this: "If they are innocent they shouldn't be afraid," lawyer Gonzalo Boye, one of the rights lawyers behind the complaint, told the Associated Press in an interview.

    :D sweet argument.
     
    #7 MadMax, Mar 30, 2009
  8. conquistador#11

    conquistador#11 Member

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    I wish the spanish comrades would prosecute G.H bush and reagan for their terrorists acts in El Salvador. Even if nothing happens, and even if reagan is burning somewhere, reminding everyone of the history will do everyone good. Hitler, stalin, franco, pinochet, reagan, somoza, nixon all the same breed.
     
    #8 conquistador#11, Mar 30, 2009
  9. MoonDogg

    MoonDogg Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #9 MoonDogg, Mar 30, 2009
  10. SWTsig

    SWTsig Member

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    #10 SWTsig, Mar 30, 2009
  11. rimrocker

    rimrocker Member

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    I would normally copy and paste this excellent article, but there are too many reference links in the text... go read it at the source and start following links.

    Here's the first part...

     
    #11 rimrocker, Mar 30, 2009
    1 person likes this.
  12. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Bad title. Spain has not decided to prosecute. A couple of lawyers have brought a complaint and a judge will decide whether or not to pursue a prosection. This could amount to nothing. People have gotten this far in prosecuting these guys in the US, which is not far at all.
     
    #12 JuanValdez, Mar 30, 2009
  13. RocketRaccoon

    RocketRaccoon Contributing Member

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    Shiat like this just pisses me off.

    Go to HELL MF.

    And since nobody else is complaining about this azzhole, I'm going to assume this board is truly anti american.

    F**K this. I'm not coming back to this crap.

    I'm out of here clutch. It's been a great 10 years. But I'm sooooo tired of seeing anti american crap and nobody says anything.

    :mad:

    Too bad my last feelings of this place is going to be real ****ty.
     
    #13 RocketRaccoon, Mar 30, 2009
  14. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    ^ lol

    Chernobyl much?
     
    #14 SamFisher, Mar 30, 2009
  15. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    Doubtful.
     
    #15 gifford1967, Mar 30, 2009
  16. Bogey

    Bogey Member

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    Some of us just choose to ignore some posts.
     
    #16 Bogey, Mar 30, 2009
  17. rimrocker

    rimrocker Member

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    Get well soon Rocky.
     
    #17 rimrocker, Mar 30, 2009
  18. glynch

    glynch Member

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    Well it was a bit much to say Reagan should rot in hell, but we should cut Conquistador some slack as it is likely that since he is from El Salvador some of his relatives were killed and or trortured due to Reagan and Bush I.

    Assuming they would be found guilty of feonies and war crimes, which seems likely, though innocent till proven guilty, I would still recommend that Bush I and the others still alive be given a chance to be pardoned in a reconciliation process sort of like what was done in South Africa and thereby avoid trial.

    It seems very pro-American to temper our justice with mercy.
     
    #18 glynch, Mar 30, 2009
  19. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    I guess the rabies finally kicked in (ba-dum bum). It may be a bit narrow to define any internet debating forum by a particular nationality.
     
    #19 Dairy Ashford, Mar 30, 2009
  20. Refman

    Refman Member

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    If you really think that Reagan is cut from the same mold as Hitler and Stalin, then you really lack perspective historically.
     
    #20 Refman, Mar 30, 2009
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